Catalog filing rack



Dec. 27, 1966 A. M. PARCE CATALOG FILING RACK Filed Feb. 10, 1965 Fig. 2

Arr/1w M. Farce INVENTOR.

United States Patent O 3,294,245 CATALOG FILING RACK Arthur M. Parce, 1519 Druid Hills Ave.,

- Hendersonville, N.C. 28739 Filed Feb. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 431,628 8 Claims. (Cl. 21142) The present invention relates to a 'rack which is functionally designed and structurally adapted to systematically cradle and store readily insertable and removable printed catalogs such as, for example, are currently in use in automotive stockrooms, commonly referred to in the trade as the accessories, parts and supply department.

An object of the present invention is to provide a standtype rack which is novel in that it not only accommodates magazines, catalogs and brochures of many and varying sizes, ranging up to twelve inch covers, it allows the leaves of the catalogs to be opened and closed and achieves the result desired through the medium of a simple structure wherein there are no loose or moving parts involved.

Briefly summarized, the rack herein disclosed lends itself to practical and acceptable construction from both wood and metal but may also be aptly constructed from moldable and colorful plastic material. In keeping with the concept two simple spaced apart self-standing legs function to support an elongated panel-like catalog cradling base, the latter being provided at its respective transverse ends with upwardly and outwardly divergent end members which facilitate ready opening and easy viewing of the leaves of the catalogs (not necessarily automotive parts catalogs) which are systematically racked for quick reference needs.

A more specific and a significant aspect of the concept has to do with a rack which has its main component parts sloping toward and facing the user, the upper and lower edges being provided with longitudinally spaced lugs and intervening notches which lend themselves to the use of conventional rubber bands which can be yieldi'ng y stretched and sandwiched between the contiguous margins of the leaves (whether loose-leaf or permanently bound) thus obviating the need for complicated and special holddown rods and the like.

As will be hereinafter more fully appreciated and evidenced the catalogs are conveniently banded and held in place with the looped ends of the bands detachably connected to the lugs at the upper and lower edge portions of the base panel whereby to permit expedient handling and quick on-the-spot checking ready for reference wholesale and retail media and printed data by the counterman or other attendant called upon to run down and give the inquirer prices and other information on the automotive parts listed.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a filing rack which lends itself to practical compact and convenient storing of ready reference catalogs.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

FIG. 3 is an end elevation with portions broken away and appearing in section.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional and detail view taken on an enlarged scale on the plane of the section line 44 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

By way of introduction, it is to be pointed out that the terminology automotive parts catalogs and magazines is used advisedly for, obviously, magazines containing other subject matter are and can be used in the rack.

With reference now to the novel rack and its component ice ' parts it will be seen that the rack or holder proper is such in plan and construction that it may be satisfactorily produced from wood, from sheet metal, from sheet moldable plastic material in keeping with the requirements and economies of the manufacturer. The bottom or base comprises a substantially rectangular panel which is denoted at 6 and has flat top and bottom surfaces and is adapted to slant or slope forwardly and downwardly in the direction of the reader or user when in use. The upper longitudinal edge is denoted at 8, the lower parallel commensurate edge by the numeral 10 and the transverse ends or edge portions by the numerals 12 and 14, respectively. These edges have adjoining upwardly and outwardly slanting end extensions 16 and 18 respectively which constitute end guards for the group of magazines (not detailed) stored and cradled in any sequential order in the manner suggested at the left in FIG. 4, for example. Any simple and suitable legs may be utilized as supports. Each of the two legs shown in the drawings comprises a vertical or perpendicular plate portion 20 having a lateral flange 22 at the bottom which is adapted to reside upon the counter, shelf or other stationary support surface 24 and which has its upper edge provided with a second flange 26 as shown in FIG. 4. These legs are properly spaced apart and are parallel to each other and the flanges 26 are fastened to the bottom of a base panel 6 and slant forwardly and downwardly so that the rack proper is correctly presented for convenient inspection and ready reference needs. A significant aspect, in addition to cradling the catalogs for review, is to avoid use of extra or loose parts. To the end desired the upper longitudinal edge is provided with longitudinally spaced rubber band attaching lugs 28 having intervening notches 30. The lower edge 10 is also provided with similar lugs 32 in intervening clearance notches 34.

It will be noted particularly from FIG. 3 that the elastic band hold-down lugs 28 at the upper edge 8 are flatwise that is substantially planar with the plate or panel 6. On the other hand, the lugs at the bottom edge are at right angles to the plane of the surface of the panel. The lugs are preferably provided with rounded marginal edges 35 as suggested in FIG. 4 to facilitate applying and removing the looped end portions of the catalog hold-down elastic bands. The catalogs are merely racked in place one by one in the space between the outwardly flaring end guards 16 and 18 (not detailed). Then a strong rubber band is utilized to position and hold the catalog in its intended place between the upper and lower edges 8 and 10. One can loop an elastic band over a selected upper lug 28, can pass the strands between the pages of the catalog and then hook the other loop over a substantially opposite retaining lug 32 in a seemingly evident manner. Or the band can be applied as suggested in FIG. 4 wherein one strand is passed between the pages of the bound catalog and the other strand is disposed exteriorly and hooked over two selected upper and lower band retaining lugs. Experience and practice will enable the user to choose the most satisfactory solution of the manner or mode of attaching the rubber bands to the catalogs and lugs respectively. In any event, it will be seen that with this rack, which itself is extremely simple and economical, the user can conveniently resort to the use of simple readily available rubber bands as catalog attaching and hold-down members.

It is believed that a careful consideration of the specification in conjunction with the views of the drawing will enable the reader to obtain a clear as well as comprehensive understanding of the subject matter of the invention, the features and advantages and a satisfactory manner of using the invention. Accordingly, a more extended description is regarded as unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and Operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a. plurality of articles each of the type including a plurality of pages bound together along one set of corresponding marginal edge portions and forming a back thereon, a rack for supporting said articles in position for ready reference, said rack comprising base panel means including an upper surface and one pair of generally parallel opposite marginal edge portions, said edge portions each including a plurality of longitudinally spaced anchor lugs, said articles being disposed on said base panel means with the backs thereof resting on said panel means and extending between said edge portions, a plurality of tension members each defining a pair of generally parallel reaches interconnected at opposite ends by means of integral end portions, said tension members each extending between said edge portions and having the end portions thereof passed about corresponding lugs carried by said edge portions, at least one reach of each tension member passing between adjacent pages of a corresponding article.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said tension members each comprise an endless elastic member.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said base panel means is elongated and said edge portion extend longitudinally along opposite sides thereof, the opposite end portions of said base panel means including upwardly divergent panel-like extensions disposed in planes extending between said marginal edge portions.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said rack includes leg means for supporting said base panel means in an elevated position from a supporting surface and with one of said edge portions of said base panel means disposed lower than the other edge portion of said base panel means, the lugs carried by said one marginal edge portion projecting upwardly from the-upper Surface of said base panel means and also defining a supporting shelf for the lower ends of the backs of said articles to rest against.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said lugs carried by said one edge portion of said base panel means include base end portions adjacent the base panel means of transverse width less than portions of the same lugs disposed outwardly .of the base end portions thereof toward the free ends thereof.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the lugs carried by the higher marginal edge portion of said base panel means also project upwardly from the upper surface of said base panel means and include base end portions of reduced transverse width.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said tension members each comprise an endless elastic member.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said base panel means is elongated and said edge portions extend longitudinally along opposite sides thereof, the opposite end portions of said base panel means including upwardly divergent panel-like extensions disposed in planes extending between said marginal edge portions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,360,718 11/1920 Bromley 248453 1,376,212 4/1921 Mayhew 248--l 2,174,689 10/1939 Cox et al 2 1 1-l26 2,807,908 10/1957 Lykes 248-451 3,176,953 4/1965 Magers 24845l CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. W. D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A PLURALITY OF ARTICLES EACH OF THE TYPE INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF PAGES BOUND TOGETHER ALONG ONE SET OF CORRESPONDING MARGINAL EDGE PORTIONS AND FORMING A BACK THEREON, A RACK FOR SUPPORTING SAID ARTICLES IN POSITION FOR READY REFERENCE, SAID RACK COMPRISING BASE PANEL MEANS INCLUDING AN UPPER SURFACE AND ONE PAIR OF GENERALLY PARALLEL OPPOSITE MARGINAL EDGE PORTIONS, SAID EDGE PORTIONS EACH INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED ANCHOR LUGS, SAID ARTICLES BEING DISPOSED ON SAID BASE PANEL MEANS WITH THE BACKS THEREOF RESTING ON SAID PANEL MEANS AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID EDGE PORTIONS, A PLURALITY OF TENSION MEMBERS EACH DEFINING A PAIR OF GENERALLY PARALLEL REACHES INTERCONNECTED AT OPPOSITE ENDS BY MEANS OF INTEGRAL END PORTIONS, SAID TENSION MEMBERS EACH EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID EDGE PORTIONS AND HAVING THE END PORTIONS THEREOF PASSED ABOUT PORTIONS SPONDING LUGS CARRIED BY SAID EDGE PORTIONS, AT LEAST ONE REACH OF EACH TENSION MEMMBER PASSING BETWEEN ADJACENT PAGES OF A CORRESPONDING ARTICLE. 